Republican Debate January 24,2008 MSNBC

MSNBC Republican debate January 24, 2008

Just got home and the debate is thirty minutes in. Here are my comments and thoughts so far.

Romney "Get out or win?" Democrats say get out. "Not to General Hillary Clinton" (lots of applause, and I thought it was a pretty clever line)

Paul War is not worth it. Al Queda wasn't there. They are now. (Paul so now that Al Queda is there do you just run away and leave it to them?)

Huckabee Weapons of mass destruction just weren't found, like all the Easter eggs. (I think most Americans think there was not WMD in Iraq, oopsie Huckabee)

Romney War not well managed, under planned, understaffed. Now we are in the phase we are in now. Now we have to make sure Iraq does not become a safe haven for Al Queda. (I like that he realizes there were troubles, but that America can make changes to win.)


Second Segment: Questions from candidates to other candidates, going left to right

Romney Giuliani how do we level the playing field with China. What kind of economic.

Giuliani I told you I wasn't going to answer your question. More engaged in trade the better, get to know them better. Ability to sue in China (that will be a very tough one to every make happen). What can we sell to China - energy independence, technology.


McCain Huckabee proponent of Fair Tax, how do you answer the criticism wouldn't cause more pain to lower income Americans? How do you account the resonance.

Huckabee People would love to see the IRS abolished. (Look at this conversation I had with a Pro Huckabee supporter here.) Prebate, every American would get a check (dang that is going to require a ton of administration). Wants Pimps, drug dealers, etc to be brought into the tax (this is a tiny population. Huckabee goes on in rebuttal to discount 30% - although because of the method of determining the 23% tax it comes out as a true 30%)


Paul Sunlight on group running money policy in the US.

McCain Rely on secretary of treasure to run money policy. He would rely on his group of friends (basically those who he owes favors to).


Huckabee Second Amendment ban on so called assault weapons. Do you support Brady and assault weapon ban,

Romney I do support second Amendment. I would have signed the assault weapon ban. Both the pro and anti gun lobbies came together. People have the right to carry a weapon.


Giuliani People have difficulties getting property insurance. McCain does not support a national catastrophic fund. Do you have a position on the national catastrophic fund?

Romney The answer is Yes. We had the problem in Massachusetts. So we will do as you just indicated. I am not in favor that Iowa should subsidise the people in Mass or Florida. How do we build a policy in each state. I brought together industry experts to solve health insurance.

McCain This is a terrible problem. Spread insurance across state lines (wow, that is radical). Call regulators, congress together (opps left out industry experts).


Russert Global Warming in Florida, but you are against green house gases.

Giuliani Invest in new technology. Nuclear powerplants, increase hybrid vehicles, more clean coal, incentives for new industries and biofuels. Wind, solar, etc. National project like getting man on the moon. This is the best way to fight green house gases. Positive way.

McCain Joe Lieberman and I proposed credit market on green house gases. Nuclear power, out of foreign oil, climate change is real (wow, that is almost anti-republican). Suppose we are wrong and climate change is not real, at least we will hand our kids a cleaner world (I agree with that).


Third Segment:
Giuliani Romney asked me a nice question, we've lulled them into a false sense of security. Everyone has a chance. I believe I'll get the nomination.

McCain Proud of my record on judges. Most republicans thinking about threat of radical Islam (not so my friend). Stewardship of our planet. Keep Israel independent. Very, very conservative record, but there are times when Rumsfelds strategy is wrong, Jack Abrahmoff (McCain's third largest lobbiest is the group that Jack worked for).

Romney The idea of Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do. (That is funny) I'll run against Hillary. 110 billion more every single year for her health care plan. Get out of Iraq, she is what is wrong with Washington. Look sending the same people back over and over will not change the results.

Romney How much money of your own wealth. There is nobody that can call me and cash in a favor. I am consiHow America works, I am giving my all. Loved his answer on his religion. I don't believe for a minute that Americans will impose a religious test. I believe individual freedom is what makes America great. (His answer here was more inspiring than his speech on religion! I was duly impressed with his response. Wow, what optimism about Americans, even though we all know we have our scum bags. Very Presidential and spoken with such great conviction. WOW!)

Huckabee Specifically do to change social security. Huckabee to Romney, you have five exceptional sons. If the country will elect me, your sons will get to keep your money. (The guy is
Everybody keeps talking about unlikely the Fair Tax is, we need to be talking about what we can do (Let me note NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS EVER RUN GOVERNMENT USING A FAIR TAX).

Romney Will you do for social security what Ronald Reagan do? I will not raise taxes. The four ways to solve the method 1. Raise taxes (worse way); we will need to sit down with Dems/Reps 2. Personal Accounts that do better than government bonds, 3. Innitial benefit calculation based on wage index, 4. Change the retirement age. Let's not scare anyone listening to me, it's not going to change people already on social security.

Giuliani Why is your campaign airing an ad in Spanish? America is built around english language. If you know other languages that is a good thing. Stop illegal immigration at the border. Tamper proof ID Card. Question Wet foot dry foot: why special policy for Cuba? Presumption that if fleeing Castro then fleeing politcal persectuiong.

Huckabee Chuck Norris said at 72 McCain too old. I didn't disagree with Norris because I was standing right next to him. I don't think that McCain lacks the rigor. He has the capacity to run.

McCain Now that Sylvester Stallon has endorsed me I'm sending him right over to take care of Norris.

Giuliani Question about NY times article. I never did anything the NYTimes suggested, if I did I would not be a convervative. I moved people from welfare to work. They wrote how mean I was. There is serious ideological differnces.

Romney Charge about you changes positions with the wind. Haven't paid your dues. I'm not going to Washington to make friends with politicians. Look at my record at Governor. Every issue I dealt with as Governor. Awarded by Citizens for life in MA on pro-life. Clear record on taxes. I am proud of where I stand and show my record to show I've been consistent.

McCain Question about temper. I don't see it as an impediment. I've dealt with friends and colleagues and wouldn't have their support if we didn't have a good. Endorses Giuliani (now why is he doing that?). All these people are good people and I intend to respect them.

Huckabee Question about quesy feeling. Solid core, faith grounds me, sense of purpose. Never use auspices of government to push my faith. They will have to deal with it. Respect people who have faith or don't.

Paul Won't stick to your party, would you launch a third party? I think they haven't stuck to our party. I've been elected 10 times as a Republican. It has a problem because we don't act like Republicans. Used to be against the department of education. We stopped wars, and here we are starting them. Why should the strict constitutionaists be removed from the party?

The end.